AuthorTopic: Eric Krasker in English (Read 33412 times)

Well regarding footnotes Bobber what I do is just read the original chapter and ignore them!

Then afterwards I read through the chapter's footnotes and if I come upon something really interesting I go back and see what it refers to.It's pretty easy to find the relevant number.

This system avoids having to go back and forth all the time and be disappointed when the footnote just says 'See Joe Bloggs, p 592.'

The footnote is there to make something clearer or give extra justification to something which hopefully you've already understood.

If you take it as a bit of a game it lightens things up. And I love it when Eric gives a footnote to another footnote in another book! And what if that footnote referenced another footnote? Theoretically, if you had all the books, it could go on forever!

I agree with Eric here. In my musicological research (=I'm not talking now about Beatles research) I also have sometimes to decide if something should be in the main text or as a footnote. Usually, the decision comes from a questiuon like "...Would this paragraph break the subject continuity?? Should I place it in the main text or as a footnote??...". There is always a bit of subjectivity at these kind of decisions. We should remember that there are as many histories as historians writting them (=even on the same subject...)

Thanks, Xosé! As yourself a University lecturer and researcher, you perfectly know what I'm talking about. And as you said, a research also depends a bit on the reseacher's own sensibility and background. Writing History is not like mathematics: it's not an exact science.

BTW: regarding Los Españoles, I found that they made their 1st recording under Bert Kämpfert at Musikhalle (Kleiner Saal) in Hamburg 1959, April the 5th., being Mono number 46315 and Stereo 237 515. But I couldn't never get copies of the relevant sources from Polydor archives (=Aufnahmeprotokoll, Überspielungs-Meldung, etc.)

Any hints??

Best wishes!!

Xosé

Well, thanks to the Alphanumeric code used by Polydor (as mentioned in the book) you can at least determine for good when your records were pressed, which is already very important. Now, as far as the Polydor archives are concerned, I personally own documentation only dealing with Sheridan and the Beatles, but nothing concerning other artists. Moreover, for an unknown reason, I recently noticed that Polydor were not too keen any more to open their archives again to researchers, as my friends Thorsten Knublauch and Axel Korinth (although Germans themselves!) were not authorized to make further research in their archives in Hannover. Fortunately, this did not prevent them to make an excellent work which is an absolute "must-have" for any serious collector (Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand – Die Beatles In Deutschland 1960-1970). So I have no idea if it still possible to get something from Polydor/Universal (at least for the time being...), also because there is a permanent staff turn-over and it's very complicated to deal with different persons every time.

...Well, thanks to the Alphanumeric code used by Polydor (as mentioned in the book) you can at least determine for good when your records were pressed, which is already very important. Now, as far as the Polydor archives are concerned, I personally own documentation only dealing with Sheridan and the Beatles, but nothing concerning other artists. Moreover, for an unknown reason, I recently noticed that Polydor were not too keen any more to open their archives again to researchers, as my friends Thorsten Knublauch and Axel Korinth (although Germans themselves!) were not authorized to make further research in their archives in Hannover. Fortunately, this did not prevent them to make an excellent work which is an absolute "must-have" for any serious collector (Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand – Die Beatles In Deutschland 1960-1970). So I have no idea if it still possible to get something from Polydor/Universal (at least for the time being...), also because there is a permanent staff turn-over and it's very complicated to deal with different persons every time...

Aha... I see...

I haven't got that book, but I have been told that it's absolutely excellent... A 'must-have' for all of us interested in the pre-Beatlemanía years. I will look for a copy...

Good news! In agreement with my publisher (Atlantica/Séguier), the first 48 pages of the book The Beatles: Fact and Fiction 1960-1962 are now available for free consultation on the first page of the publisher's website. You just have to click with your mouse on the corners to turn the pages.

The book The Beatles : Fact and Fiction 1960-1962 has just been reviewed by Brad Howard (chief-editor of Beatlology Magazine, Canada) on the Maccaspan Forum website. If you are interested to have a look at it, please click on that link:

Have you ever wondered about the real stories behind the mythology of The Beatles formative years? What is the truth about the Polydor sessions and the Star Club recordings? Was there really a Raymond Jones? How did Stuart Sutcliffe really die? Why was Pete Best fired?

The Beatles may be the most documented band in the world. And yet, facts are blurred with conjecture, exaggerations, fiction, myths, rumours, and lies when it comes to those early days, when the group was on the brink of fame. "The Beatles Fact And Fiction 1960-1962" by Eric Krasker cuts through the embelishments and leaves the readers with only the truth about these five famous Beatles tales.

Author Eric Krasker, a French police inspector, uses his professional skills to investigate each of these stories. He digs and digs until only the facts are visible. Packed with 100 illustrated pages (b&w and colour), The Beatles Fact And Fiction 1960-1962 backs up his exhaustive research with document after document.

"The Beatles Fact And Fiction 1960-1962" is an impressive reference guide with its 438 pages. Statements are corroborated and expanded with meticulously detailed footnotes. An impassioned Mr. Krasker leaves no stone unturned. At the end of each chapter, the reader is left with little doubt about what really happened.

The author refutes previous statements and conclusions made by other authors about the Polydor and Star Club sessions. However, his assertions, sometimes controversial, are backed with documents, photographs, and other evidence that he has uncovered. [I must state here for the record that some of my research was used in a portion of the Star Club Tapes chapter.]

"The Beatles Fact And Fiction 1960-1962" is one of the best reference books ever written. If you are a serious Beatles scholar or a casual fan, this book is a "must-have."

About Eric Krasker: Eric is an honoured police inspector in France and a dedicated Beatles fan. He utilizes his investigative skills to dig out the facts about the early Beatles in this wonderful book. In 2005, he co-authored (with Jean-Claude Hocquet) La France et les Beatles Volume 1 - La discographie originale (1962-1970).

Eric Krasker and I worked together on an article for Beatlology Magazine about The Star Club Tapes. As a Beatles fan and writer and a retired, 34-year member of the police and intelligence communities, I highly recommend Eric's books in french and/or english.

A true mythbuster and a must read for anybody who is interested in the early years! Although I felt that the chapter on Stuart Sutcliffe's death may have had some more indepth medical research. Maybe something like this?

Quote

A medically informed post-mortem on Stuart Sutcliffe.The following is a posting to the rec.music.beatles newsgroup which goes some way to clarifying what may have caused Stuart Sutcliffe's death. It can in no way be regarded as THE authorative version of what happened as it is not based on a first hand account of the actual autopsy. However, it does much to explain in layman's terms the possible causes of death and the likelihood of those being affected by John Lennon's alleged kick.From liveletdie@usa.pipeline.com Mon Dec 11 10:55:01 CST 1995Article: 105015 of rec.music.beatlesPath: news.uh.edu!swrinde!howland.reston.ans.net.....................From: liveletdie@usa.pipeline.com(M Kintyre)Newsgroups: rec.music.beatlesSubject: Re: Stu's injury caused by John?Date: 11 Dec 1995 12:51:15 GMTOrganization: Pipeline USALines: 156Message-ID: <4ah9g3$1h8@news1.usa.pipeline.com>NNTP-Posting-Host: pipe4.h1.usa.pipeline.com

The Goldman inspired innuendo that John was responsible for Stu's death has surfaced here before. As a Neuro Nurse, I was always curious about how Stu died and compiled the following "faq" of the medical probabilities and am reposting it for those who are interested. It is a little heavy, but there will not be a quiz at the end!

THE FACTS.The information we have is pretty thin when it comes to facts. In this category would be things that were documented at the time by medical personel and therefore retrievable from Stu's medical records:1. Stu visited a doctor in Hamburg in Feb, 1962 complaining of episodes of severe headaches. X-rays did not reveal any problem.2. Stu died in an ambulance enroute to the hospital on April 10, 1962.3. His autopsy showed cerebral hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain) with bleeding into the right ventricle.

THE TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES.According to statements from Astrid and her mother, Stu had his studio in the attic of Astrid's mothers home, and was living in the house at the time of his death. Astrid reports that Stu had terrible headaches. Bill Harry in"The Complete Beatles Encyclopedia" quotes her as saying that "the headaches became violent, they seemed like fits." Information on how long he had the headaches is sketchy, but according to some sources, his mother believes they began about a year before his death. Astrid's mother reports that he fell down the attic stairs but it is difficult to ascertain whether this was weeks, or days before his death. Astrid states she found him unconscious in his bed on April 10 and called the ambulance.

THE FIGHT.There are stories of John and Stu being involved in a fight in a Liverpool or Hamburg alley, in which Stu was kicked in the head. Some Beatles historians believe this is Beatle Mythology, not fact. The date of the fight is unknown, but unless it occurred during Stu's visit home at Christmas 1961, (four months before his death) it would have had to have been before they went to Hamburg in March of 1961 (a year before his death) since Stu stayed in Hamburg when the others returned to Liverpool. Even if the fight occurred in Hamburg it would have had to have been about nine months before his death as the Beatles left Hamburg in mid-summer of 1961 and returned in April of 1962, the day after Stu's death.

STROKE is virtually unheard of in people Stu's age as it is the result of atherosclerosis and/or high blood pressure.

A BRAIN TUMOR may cause bleeding, however the presence of a tumor large enough to cause bleeding would have been obvious on autopsy.

TRAUMA. A blow to the head can cause three possible types of bleeds.:

1. An EPIDURAL BLEED.A ruptured artery rapidly pumps blood into the skull and the brain is compressed by the growing blood clot. The patient becomes unconscious within hours after the injury and dies within about 24 hours if it is not treated. This could be the result of the fall down the stairs. In this scenario, however, there would be no history of headaches (though the headaches may have been coincidental) and the blood clot would not be in the ventricle. Since John was not in Hamburg immediately preceding Stu's death, he could not have caused an epidural bleed.2. A SUBDURAL BLEED.A ruptured vein oozes blood into the skull. The patient deteriorates slowly over a period of about two weeks, (occaisionally several weeks) with unsteady gait progressing to confusion, then lethargy and coma. Several things rule out a subdural bleed as the cause of Stu's death.a. A subdural is easily identifiable on autopsy and the blood clot is found on the surface of the brain, not in the ventricle.b. There is no evidence that Stu experienced progressive deterioration. Death from a subdural would have resulted in Stu being confused and unable to walk several days before his death, then difficult to wake up, and finally comatose for several hours to a day or more before his death. It is inconcievable that Astrid watched him slowly deteriorate to a coma before deciding to take him to the hospital which is what she would have had to do in order for him to die enroute.c. All reports are of episodes of headache. Any headache caused by a subdural would be nearly continuous and they are not generally reported as severe.If John had kicked Stu in the head it would have had to have been almost four months before his death (at Christmas time). This is again outside of the necessary time frame for John to be implicated in Stu's death if it were due to a subdural bleed.3. AN INTRACRANIAL BLEED.A severe blow to the head can cause bleeding deep into the brain, fequently with rupture into the ventricles. Death can be rapid, but the patient may last up to about 3 days and during that three days the patient is near comatose or comatose. This fits the situation only if the fall down the stairs occurred just before he died. Neither Astrid or her mother reported that. Again, John was not present in the necessary time frame to have cause the injury.

ANEURYSMS are weak spots in arteries. They are present from birth and gradually enlarge. They most frequently rupture in patients over 30. Although there may be some warning headaches, most often there is simply a single, explosive headache. Half of aneurysm patients die immediately. The location of most aneurysms makes bleeding into the ventricle very possible. An aneurysm is certainly a strong possibility in Stu's case.

An AVM, also present from birth, is a malformation in the connection between an artery and a vein. The veins in the area have arterial blood pumped into them. Because veins are not made to handle the high pressure of arterial blood, the become enlarged and eventually bleed. They frequently have repeated small bleeds causing severe episodic headaches before a large bleed occurs and seizures ("fits") are common. The large bleed can be fatal. AVM ruptures are most common in teens and young adults. Bleeding into just one ventricle is less likely with an AVM than an aneurysm, but the history of headaches, age, and rapid death make AVM a very strong possibility.

In summary, the two causes of death that best fit the scenario are Aneurysm and AVM, both congenital and unrelated to any blow to the head. None of the causes of death from a blow to the head fit the time frames or history we have on Stu. More importantly to this discussion, John was not with Stu in the four months prior to his death. No head trauma causes cerebral bleeding and death that long after injury. Therefore, John could not have been responsible for Stu's death.

Yes Bobber, you're absolutely right. This medical study is a great addition to the book, and I urge everybody interested in the death of Stuart Sutcliffe to read it carefully. However, this doesn't change anything to the book's conclusions which are quite similar: John could not have been responsible for Stu's death which was probably caused by an aneurysm (due to Preludin abuse?..) or an AVM, as put forward by M.K.

By the way, if DM's readers want to know more about the book and the story of its writing, they can read this interview of mine which was published a few days ago in the June 2010 issue of Ear Candy Mag :

Nice interview and I'm looking forward to your skipped five or six chapters on the early history of the Beatles. There's some more myths to be busted!

Regarding Backbeat being a source... Here's Paul McCartney's comment made the other day about Nowhere Boy:

Paul Mccartney Laughs At Beatles Facts

Sir Paul McCartney has claimed that several films about The Beatles contain events that didn't happen and things that are ''not true''.

Sir Paul McCartney says many films about The Beatles are "not true".

The legendary musician - who was joined in the band by Ringo Starr, and the late John Lennon and George Harrison - insists many pieces about the Fab Four are inaccurate and misleading to fans.

Speaking about two dramas - 'Nowhere Boy' and 'Lennon Naked' - Paul said: "It's a great tribute that whatever we did is so lasting and people can still make films aboutThe Beatles which can still be successful. For me, though, they're not true and that's the unfortunate thing about them. John never punched me out like he does in 'Nowhere Boy', but my character is kind of cool in the film so I don't mind being punched out. I told the film director Sam (Taylor-Wood) all of that but she said, 'Yeah. But Paul, it's just a film.' "

Another rumour Paul has quashed is that he told John not to pose naked on the cover of his and Yoko Ono's 1968 album 'Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins'.

He said: "It's like the rumour I told John off for posing nude for the 'Two Virgins' cover as in 'Lennon Naked'. I never told him that - that's another legend. What John and Yoko did was always up to them."

Essentially, he wants to get the newest information about the book as possible. So there will be new information about Stuart Sutcliffe, the first visit to Hamburg in 1960 (thanks to the two German experts, The Beatles, Thorsten Knublauch Axel and Corinth), and the latest news from Star Club recordings.